Georgetown County principals jockey for project funding

GEORGETOWN -- Principals spent Tuesday asking the Georgetown County Board of Education for capital improvement projects at their schools including tennis courts, parking lots and interactive learning tools.

The district is facing the possibility of another $3 million in budget cuts for the 2010-2011 fiscal year, and the principals said they understood the budget constraints but wanted to plan for the future and move up in the capital improvement plan.

Others were seeking funding for long-requested projects.

Georgetown High School Principal Michael Cafaro again requested about $150,000 in paving improvements to the senior parking lots.

"We've been talking about that for years about getting it paved," Cafaro said.

"I used to call them craters, and now I call them moon holes. They are pretty big."

Cafaro may soon get his wish.

The district has budgeted about $350,000 to pave student and career center parking lots this summer. The interior and student lockers will also be painted this summer, which has been another of Cafaro's long-standing requests.

"I do want to thank you," he said. "I know sometimes wheels of progress move sometimes really slow."

In addition to the paving, Cafaro asked the district for six tennis courts, which is not in the district's five-year capital improvement plan.

"That would be a major boost to our school," Cafaro said. "Yesterday, I watched the middle school students play tennis in the parking lot. Wouldn't it be nice if we could share the tennis courts?"

Currently students at the school must travel to Wedgefield to play tennis and students in the physical education classes cannot take advantage of the courts.

Another school that is looking to add tennis courts to its campus is Waccamaw High School. The school is slated to get tennis courts in 2014-2015 fiscal year.

"We have had a lot of facilities requests," said Superintendent Randy Dozier. "What I would ask is to set up a committee and see where we are and reprioritize. Some schools are saying they don't need any additions in the capital improvement plans based on their enrollment. I do think there is a possibility to move some projects up."

Waccamaw High School Principal David Hammel said the school also needs more parking.

"Due to growing enrollment we have a need for more parking spaces. My five year trend is about 20 to 30 new students a year," Hammel said.

The parking lot is also not in the capital improvement plan.

His other request was for the addition of an ROTC program at the high school. Waccamaw High School is the only high school in the district without the program. Hammel said an ROTC program would improve graduation rates and student achievement.

So far about 110 to 120 students have expressed interest in a program.

The school board is expected to have a workshop in the next few months to review capital improvements, technology upgrades and other long term planning.